Summary: Everyone has a reason to be the way they are and so does James Potter. What if pieces of his mask start slipping and a certain redhead sees beyond?
Behind the Prankster's Mask
Chapter 21
Lily walked in a daze. She couldn't believe the news she just heard, she didn't want to believe it. James had gone with her as far as Dumbledore's office, but waited outside for her. She was sure he'd heard what had been said through the door, for when she stepped back out, he'd silently offered her a hug, before steering her down the stairs and back to the common room. James's hand never left the small of her back.
James muttered the password when they reached the Fat Lady. For a moment the noise of the common room threatened to overwhelm her, but the moment she stepped in, everyone fell quiet. All eyes followed her as James led her to the corner where their friends were sitting.
'Lily, what...' Dorcas asked as Serena stood up to leave.
'They're dead,' Lily chocked. 'He killed them.'
'Oh Lily,' Serena breathed. She took the step that separated the two girls and wrapped her arms around the other. That simple gesture brought it all home and Lily broke down.
James dropped down in a vacant chair next to Sirius. 'It's just not fair,' he muttered and Sirius reached out to put a hand on his shoulder.
'Is everyone...' Dorcas started to ask, but chocked as tears streamed down her cheeks.
'No,' James replied, shaking his head. 'Petunia was over at her boyfriend's house,' he explained, then turned to Lily. 'Sorry, I heard through the door.'
Lily shook her head and uselessly dragged her sleeves past her eyes in an attempt to dry her tears. Though having released Lily from her hug, Serena still kept her arm around Lily's shoulder.
'I thought you would've,' she assured him.
Sirius moved to sit on the armrest of James's chair as Lily and Serena moved to sit on the couch he'd previously been sharing with his girlfriend. Noise in the common room had picked up again, but their corner stayed quiet for some time, nobody knowing exactly what to say. It was Lily who eventually broke the silence.
'Dumbledore gave me leave to attend the funeral,' Lily muttered. 'But I'm not sure if I can face Petunia's contempt.'
'What if you didn't go alone?' James suggested. 'I'm sure Dumbledore will let some friends join you.'
'I'll come,' Serena quickly offered.
'Me too,' Dorcas agreed.
'Thanks,' Lily smiled weakly.
That night for the first time in almost a month, James slept in his own bed.
A few days later
It was the evening before the funeral and James and Lily were out on patrol, at least, that's what they'd left the common room to do. Instead they'd ended up sitting in an alcove, just talking.
'When I got my Hogwarts letter my dad took me to a Quidditch game, Puddlemere
United against Caerphilly Catapults. I doubt my dad ever realised I supported Puddlemere, but it's one of the few time I can remember getting attention from my parents that didn't involve being told off and getting yelled at,' James said.
'We were a picture perfect family,' Lily smiled sadly. 'That is, until I got my letter and my sister got jealous. She never side a nice word to me after that. My parents loved my going to Hogwarts, though. They were really supportive.'
'They sound like they were great people,' James told her.
'They were,' Lily answered. They fell quiet for a moment as Lily chewed her bottom lip in thought. 'Will you come tomorrow?'
'What?' James asked surprised.
'Well, what you just said about my parents sounding like great people. It got me thinking. Dorcas and Serena met them and all, but... well, they both still have their family. It's just... they'll be supportive, but they don't know how it feels,' Lily tried desperately to explain.
'And I do,' James finished for her.
'Well, yeah,' Lily admitted lamely. 'You don't have to if you don't want to of course. I just... thought it would be nice to have someone there I could relate to,' she finished in a whisper.
'If you really want me to be there, I'll come,' James promised.
Lily threw her arms around James's neck. 'Thank you,' she breathed. Then she realised what she was doing and quickly pulled back. 'Sorry, I... I don't know what came over me,' she blushed.
'Don't worry about it,' James smiled at her. Lily felt her stomach flutter and her blush deepen. She didn't know what was happening, all she knew was that she liked the way James smiled at her in that moment and the way his eyes sparkled. There was something hopeful about them. She realised, somewhere inside, she longed to see that hope there and it scared her.
'Come on,' she said, shooting up as if the floor had burned her. 'We should get back to the tower.'
'Lily, what...' James started, but she was already moving away from him. He sighed and got to his feet. For the briefest moment, he thought he'd seen something in her eyes. Something he had longed to see there for years, but he was probably just imagining things.
The next morning James got up early to run to Dumbledore's office to inform the headmaster he was joining the three girls at the funeral. Afterwards he joined the girls and his friends in the Great Hall for breakfast. Breakfast held a subdued atmosphere. Afterwards Remus offered Lily an encouraging hug and Sirius whispered something in Serena's ear before the group separated. James and the girls went outside and set off down the lawn to apparated outside the castle grounds.
Lily's parents had died in a massive attack on Muggles throughout Brittan and she was not the only one to lose someone. Today two more students left to bury their dead.
Once outside the gates, Lily told James where to go to before the four disapparated. They appeared on the outskirts of a little town and Lily quickly set off, leading the way. Soon they arrived at their destination. Almost as soon as they stepped though the gate into the little front garden, the front door opened.
'Lily,' the woman in the door opened greeted, pulling Lily into a tight hug.
'Sarah,' Lily greeted, then pulled back and pointed out her friends. 'These are Dorcas and James and you've met Serena. Sarah's an old school friend of my mom,' she explained to Dorcas and James.
'Hello,' Sarah greeted. 'It's good to see Lily has such supportive friends. Lily, I put out that black dress of yours if you want to change.'
'Thanks, I will,' Lily nodded and turned to her friends. 'I'll be right back.'
Lily disappeared upstairs and Sarah turned to them again. 'You can wait in the living room, or I could get you some drinks in the kitchen if you want.'
'That would be nice, thanks,' Serena smiled soft and Dorcas nodded in agreement.
'Thank you for the offer, but I think I'll just wait in the living room,' James declined. Sarah pointed him which door to take, before leading the two girls into the kitchen.
James stepped through the door and was relieved to find the living room empty. He looked around and was about to head over to the couch when he spotted some family pictures on the mantelpiece and walked over there instead. The pictures of the smiling parents and two girls brought a smile to his face and tears to his eyes. They looked so happy and natural, they hadn't deserved this.
He took a moment to study the faces in the pictures. Lily had her mother's eyes and hair, but the red colour she'd gotten from her dad. Her sister was the opposite in looks. As he was studying the pictures he heard the door open again and spun around found himself facing a rather large, young man, only a few years older than himself.
'Oh, hello,' he said and held out his hand. 'Vernon Dursley.'
Something about the guy made the hairs in the back of his neck stand up. James straightened his back and shook the offered hand. 'James Potter,' he replied. Vernon was squeezing his hand, but James didn't flinch and just squeezed back. He had to suppress a self-satisfied smirk when they released hands and Vernon discretely shook out his hand. Too bad for Vernon, James had grown up in a world of discrete gestures and spotted it instantly.
The door opened again and Serena, Dorcas and a blonde haired girl in a black dress walked in. The face of the girl looked like the girl in the pictures and James could only presume she was Lily's sister, Petunia. Her eyes fixed on him appreciatively, but turned cold the instant Serena came to stand next to him and confirmed his conclusion of the girl being Petunia.
They passed the next few minutes in an uncomfortable silence, until the door opened for a third time and Lily walked in. James had to keep his jaw from dropping. She was wearing a figure hugging black dress with a jacket, dark tights and black shoes with a slight heel. Her red hair was flowing down her shoulders in gentle waves.
The doorbell rang and Sarah walked by to open it. A few seconds later she appeared behind Lily. 'The cars are here,' she announced. 'It's time to go.'
A/N: I'll leave it at this. Please review. I'll try to update soon.